Yemen seeks to question al-Qaeda suspects

The authorities in Yemen have asked permission from the United States to question 17 Yemeni al-Qaeda suspects being held at the American navy base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

A government-run newspaper, September 26, quoted defence ministry sources as saying that Yemen believed such questioning could help the investigation into the suicide bombing attack on the American warship USS Cole in October 2000 when it was moored in Aden.

Seventeen American sailors were killed in the attack, which the Americans have blamed on Osama Bin Laden and his al-Qaeda terror network.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service